CYCLADES-NAXOS

NAXOS. If you are asking how it could be the place where they made the father of the 12 gods, Zeus, probably will you answer: fertile, majestic, with primal splendor.
If you are asking what will dominate the island born and raised Dionysus, probably will you answer: fun, song and dance.
If you are asking how you imagine the scene at the wedding of Dionysus and Ariadne, you would rather say: very beautiful, almost magical .This is Naxos. A large island in the center of sea routes in the Aegean, with towering mountains and fertile valleys, inhabited by cheerful people with a tradition of music and dance, full of beauties that attract visitors. With its long history, the major monuments, but also the intense tourist life, has a special place among the other Cycladic islands.

Those days you sit in Naxos has always hidden corners to discover, beaches that have not yet seen, towers and castles missed to visit ancient temples that you did not learn their secrets. The story of the country unfolds deep in time, tangled among mythical creatures, legends and heroes, but also history: Mycenaean era, Roman, Byzantine, Frankish and Turkish rule. The many monuments of the country, talking about the glorious past, most feature the "Portara", the imposing entrance to the temple of the 6th century BC Apollo located on the island that locals call "Palaces".An insight into the past of the country gives the archaeological site of the Mycenaean city in Grotta, a large part of which is in the water, but below the built north of the city today. but is rich and medieval pages in the history of the country, as reflected in the city and its neighborhoods, the castle until Bourgo.
Apart from the pieces of the past, there is the modern side of the country, full of life all year round with dozens of deposits shops, restaurants, bars and cafés in the summer are filled by visitors.

Cultural Heritage & Tradition on Naxos

The cultural heritage and tradition on Naxos Island thrives today with the rich traditions of the past continue until today. Naxos has always nurtured a lively relationship between man and art, ever since the first statuettes, the first vessels and the first creations in marble by known and unknown technicians in the Proto-Cycladic period (3200-2000 BC).Temples and sanctuaries, citadels, mansions and humble folk houses were mingled into the indissoluble web of time together with traditional crafts, such as weaving, wood carving, iconography etc. Alongside, music, song, feasting and dance gave an outlet to joy, the sorrows and the dreams of the people of Naxos, leaving an invaluable legacy to modern researchers. Visitors to Naxos are sure to experience many of these customs and traditions as the cultural heritage and tradition on Naxos continues today, especially during the holidays and special events that take place throughout the year.

- Folk Art. Naxos has a rich history of folk art that continues today, as it's traditions are handed down generation to generation through the centuries. - Folk Fetes . Folk fetes on Naxos go back to time immemorial and are mainly associated with the celebration of saints’ name days

- Music and Dance. Feasting, music and dance were always deeply embedded in the life of Naxiots, being means of expressing feelings and emotions as well

as antidotes to adversity and sorrow.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AND MUSEUMS TO VISIT IN NAXOS

The human presence in Naxos recorded stable for thousands of years, giving the island a rich cultural mosaic of various ages and with various influences. Thanks to its geographical position, Naxos was communication and conciliation center among residents of neighboring islands, but also between different races and ethnicity. Naxos bloomed during the Cycladic civilization, between 3000-2000 BC, thanks to trade and shipping, but also thanks to its mineral wealth, marble and emery.

female deity of the fertility of the earth, and to the twin brothers Otus and Ephialtes.

- The Ancient Sanctuary Dionysus at Yria. One of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Naxos, dedicated to the god Dionysus and possibly a female deity of nature, was operated at Yria, south of Naxos town and in the middle of the fertile valley of Livadi, between the 14th century BC (Mycenean era) and the Roman period.

- Chimarros Tower Chimarros Tower at Filoti is considered one of the important ancient monuments of the island. Built on a hilltop by the Kalantos road, it is named after two streams (chimarros in Greek) that defined the area’s east and west.

- Geometrical Era Necropolis. A Geometrical era (9th-8th century BC) cemetery has been discovered at Alonakia position, at the SE foot of Apano Kastro hill.

- Kouroi of Melanes. One of Naxos’s two main marble quarrying areas in antiquity is located in the greater Flerio area (the other is in the area of Apollonas).

The Mycenaean tomb at Chosti is an important and rare monument in the Cyclades, being one of only three vaulted tombs that have been discovered in the region -the other two are those at Agia Thekla on Tinos and at Aggelika on Mykonos.

- Prehistoric Acropolis of Panermos. The fortified acropolis of Panermos on Naxos has an architectural form unique in the broader Aegean region and was a landmark in the development of Naxian society.

- The Kouros of Apollo The most impressive sight in the ancient quarry of Apollonas is a huge, half-finished statue, known as the Kouros of the god Apollo. -The Temple of Apollo - Portara Naxos' Temple of Apollo - Portara, a huge marble gate and the single remaining part of an unfinished temple of Apollo of 530 BC, is Naxos’s emblem

Bike riding on Naxos island is a great way to expore the island. Its considerable size, rich natural environment, broad variety of scenery and landscape -- from the coastal to the upland areas -- make it suitable "terrain" for mountain as well as road biking.The range of options for biking riding on Naxos is wide, from rural roads to exciting trails and specially-designed cycling routes in various parts of the island. Below we set out some of these very interesting routes especially designed for cyclists. But don’t let us preclude your talent for exploration; there are dozens of others waiting for you to discover.